Arashiyama — Landscapes of Old Kyoto
Arashiyama Garden Escape

Arashiyama — Landscapes of Old Kyoto

A one-day journey through the famous and hidden corners of Arashiyama

  • Duration: 8 hours (starting at 9:00)
  • Price: On request
  • Departure: Departure and return to Kyoto Hotel

Overview

Arashiyama is a picturesque district of the ancient capital, located on the western outskirts of Kyoto, where the Katsura River emerges from the Hozu Gorge onto the plain. During the Heian period, Emperors Saga and Kameyama built their villas here, while the nobility came to enjoy boat rides, moon viewing, and the autumn foliage. 

 

This journey brings together both the famous and hidden sides of Arashiyama in a single day. In the garden of Tenryu-ji Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site, the outline of the pond created by Muso Soseki nearly 700 years ago is still preserved. Next is the bamboo grove, which you will experience not from the usual path, but along a route reserved exclusively for rickshaws. Deep in Sagano, at Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Temple, on the grounds of an ancient sanctuary founded in the 8th century, stand 1,200 rakan statues carved by visitors over a decade since 1981. You will visit a hidden tea room, where a bowl of fragrant matcha will be prepared just for you. The final stop is a garden where you will see the last masterpiece of Mirei Shigemori, considered the pinnacle of contemporary garden art.

 

Itinerary: hotel in Kyoto → Arashiyama, Togetsukyo Bridge → Tenryu-ji → bamboo grove (exclusive rickshaw route) → Adashino Nenbutsu-ji → Matsuo Taisha → hotel

Key Features

  1. Togetsu-kyo Bridge — A wooden bridge 155 meters long spans the Katsura River. It was named "Togetsukyo" after Emperor Kameyama composed a poem about the moon crossing the cloudless sky.
  2. Tenryu-ji — The main Zen temple among the Five Great Zen Temples of Kyoto, founded in 1339 by Ashikaga Takauji with Muso Soseki as its first abbot, this temple is the head temple of the Rinzai school (a UNESCO World Heritage site).
  3. Sogenti Garden — This is the first place in Japan to receive the status of both a National Historic Site and a Special Place of Scenic Beauty. Nearly 700 years after its founding, the original vision of Muso Soseki is still preserved here.
  4. Arashiyama Bamboo Grove — A natural landscape that has become a symbol of Arashiyama. In addition to the main path, a route reserved exclusively for rickshaws offers a more secluded view of the bamboo grove, away from the flow of visitors.
  5. 1,200 rakan statues — An ancient Tendai school temple, founded around 766 by Empress Shōtoku. From 1981 to 1991, pilgrims from all over Japan carved Rakan statues. No two of the 1,200 statues share the same expression.
  6. Matsuo Taisha — Founded in 701, this is one of Kyoto’s oldest shrines. Shofuen gardens, created in 1975 by renowned garden master Mirei Shigemori—one of the Master’s finest works.

Itinerary

Day 1 — Arashiyama — Landscapes and Gardens of Old Kyoto

  • 10:00 Hotel in Kyoto
    After meeting your guide, a private car will pick you up from the hotel. Enjoy the ever-changing natural beauty of the seasons and the enchanting landscapes of Arashiyama, which have captivated people for centuries.
  • 10:30 Togetsu-kyo Bridge
    Upon arrival in Arashiyama, you will first cross the Togetsukyo Bridge on foot. From the bridge, panoramic views open up over the Katsura River and the mountain ranges of Arashiyama and Ogurayama, while your guide shares the legend of Emperor Kameyama and the leisure culture that has flourished here since the Heian period.
  • 11:00 Tenryu-ji Temple / Sogenchi Garden
    To the UNESCO World Heritage site — Tenryu-ji Temple. From the main hall, there is a view of the famous garden created by Zen master Muso Soseki, where the Arashiyama and Kameyama mountains are incorporated into the composition as a natural extension of the landscape. Stroll through the garden among the pond, stone bridges, and the renowned arrangement of waterfall stones, embodying Zen aesthetics and harmony with nature.
  • 12:00 Bamboo Grove and Rickshaw
    From the North Gate to the Bamboo Grove. Avoiding the busy paths used by regular visitors, you will see the bamboo grove along a route reserved exclusively for rickshaws. As the bamboo sways in the wind, your rickshaw puller will briefly tell you about the names of local sites and the area's vegetation. The interplay of light and shadow, the gently swaying stalks, and the unique acoustics create one of Kyoto’s most iconic scenes.
  • 13:00 Lunch
    According to your preferences, you may choose options such as kaiseki in Kyoto, a riverside ryotei restaurant, Kyoto-style tofu cuisine, Michelin Guide-listed restaurants, or contemporary Japanese cuisine. All reservations will be arranged in advance.
  • 14:30 Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Temple
    To Adashino Nenbutsu-ji Temple, located deep within the Sagano district. On the way to the main hall, you will see 1,200 Rakan statues. The history of the temple (founded in the 8th century, relocated in 1922, decline after the war and restoration) is directly connected to the history of the creation of the Rakan statues, which began in 1981.
  • 15:30 Matsuo Taisha
    Move south of Arashiyama, to the foot of Mount Matsuo. After a walk through the temple grounds, you will visit the three Shofuen gardens in turn. Enjoy comparing the concepts behind the styles of each era—Joko, Kyokusui, and Horai.
  • 17:00 Kyoto Hotel
    Return to the Kyoto hotel.

Gardens as Time

The Gardens of Arashiyama — The Art of Contemplation

A day in Arashiyama is also a journey through three different gardens and three eras of Japanese history.

The Sogen Pond at Tenryu-ji has preserved almost entirely the composition created by Muso Soseki nearly seven hundred years ago. The mountains of Arashiyama become part of the garden through the technique of “borrowed scenery,” and the gaze naturally shifts from stones and water to the wooded slopes beyond.

Along the path to Adashino Nenbutsu-ji stand 1,200 statues of rakan, each carved by individual pilgrims over ten years, beginning in 1981. In this ancient temple space, the presence of people from our own time is still felt.

In the Shofuen Garden at Matsuo Taisha Shrine, master Mirei Shigemori combined ancient iwakura, Heian-period streams, and Horai islands from the Kamakura period with modern materials and forms. This garden became his final work, completed in 1975.

Seven centuries, several decades, and half a century. In Arashiyama, different eras do not simply succeed one another, but coexist, revealing themselves to the traveler within a single day.

Additional options

 

  • Kimono dressing experience and professional photo session
  • Tea ceremony
  • Scenic ride on the Sagano railway
  • Private boat tour on the Hozugawa River
  • Zazen meditation experience in a Zen temple
  • Fukuda Art Museum, a private museum designed by architect Koichi Yasuda
  • Visit to Gio-ji (Moss Temple)
  • Visit to the Okochi Sanso garden
  • Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama

Practical Information

Start time / Duration
9:00 / 8 hours
Included in the price
・Car with a personal driver
・Accompaniment by a professional guide
・Entrance tickets

*Please note that meals and additional options are not included in the tour price.